low-hanging fruit

plural low-hanging fruits · alternative low hanging fruit

1. idiomaticEasily obtained gains; what can be obtained by readily available means.

   the low-hanging fruit are picked first

   2007, Nick Johnstone, Environmental Policy and Corporate Behaviour, page 97

   5 more examples

   Low-hanging fruits are those actions that garner early agreement and that are obtainable in the short run.

   2004, Sarah James with Torbjörn Lahti, The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to, page 201

   But, Florida aside, the low-hanging fruit is not in Dixie.

   2008, Thomas F. Schaller, Whistling Past Dixie: How Democrats Can Win Without the South, page 166

   But, we want to identify, the low-hanging fruit that we can harvest this year.

   2010, Dany Shukran, Best Practices: On Conducting International Meetings, page 18

   Meanwhile, it is nearly a year and a half since the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) came up with a lower-cost plan to electrify key freight routes, with added benefits for passenger services. The link to London Gateway could be wired for £8 million, which it called the "the lowest of low-hanging fruit".

   2024 June 26, Paul Clifton, “Rail freight's agenda to survive and thrive”, in RAIL, number 1012, page 41

   For Tram Trains for Edinburgh Secretary Mark Boggis, the South Sub [South Suburban Railway] is "low-hanging fruit" which could be developed "relatively quickly".

   2025 November 26, Conrad Landin, “Edinburgh eyes on tram-trains?”, in RAIL, number 1049, page 35

   Antonyms: high-hanging fruit